Dorm Decor: Wall Art 101

Stand out from the ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ poster crowd and find a way to better express yourself with your own wall art.

1. Print Your Own

Posters can often be on the pricey side, and to make it worse, they’re usually the first thing to go when you’re moving out. Instead, try out sites like Block Posters and Rasterbator, which convert your favorite photos into large-scale posters that’ll print out in neat 8.5x11 pieces you can stick on your wall. It’ll only set you back a few dollars (or free if you print them out at the library!), and it’s no sweat when you move out all you’ll have to do is just print it out again.

2. Thrift Shop Finds

You’ll never know what will pop up at the thrift store and sometimes it only takes a few more bucks and a little bit of effort to convert it into wall art. This piece, for example, was a thrift store find converted into a fun piece with the artists’ favorite lyrics. The possibilities are endless—and super cheap!

3. A Wall of Books

While you’re at the thrift store looking for your new dorm decor, don’t skip the library section—because as you can see, lettered pages make for some pretty sweet wallpaper. Mix it up for some texture (novels, music manuscripts, picture books) and tack it up on your wall. If you’re worried about the rules of your dorm, don’t worry! Instead of making holes in the wall or rolling on some sticky (and irreversible) glue, tape on the paper fish scale-style starting from the top down to hide any unsightly stickies.

4. Support Independent Artists

If you’re set on having something truly unique at your place, then you can’t do any better than to seek out an independent artist’s work. Browse social networking sites like DeviantArt or online marketplaces dedicated to independent artists like Etsy and Minted to get a better look at your options. It’ll definitely be one of a kind!